Key holder structure



1937 c. SCHRAYSSHUEN 2,093,694

KEY HOLDER STRUCTURE Filed April 25, 1956 Patented Nov. 9, 1937 UNITED STATES KEY HOLDER STRUCTURE Carl Schraysshuen, Providence, R. I., assignor to Speidel Corporation, Providence, R. 1., a corporation of Rhode Island Application April 25, 1936, Serial No. 76,351

6 Claims.

This invention relates to a key holder comprising hingedly connected portions adapted to be inter-fitted together to form a firm holding structure for keys or the like in which the parts are securely held against separation from each other in their key holding positions, while at the same time being capable of ready separation to permit removal or replacement of keys when desired One object of the invention is the provision 10 of a firm key holding means which may be made in a variety of shapes to suitthe taste or convenience of the user and in which the parts are securely held in key supporting relation without danger of accidental separation.

' Another object of the invention is the provi: sion of a key holder of the character described in which the hingedly connected parts are adapted for movement relative to each other entirely within the plane of the holder and without bending or distortion of the parts, and in which the parts are locked against accidental separation by the attaching means employed for connecting the key holder to theusual chain.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a key holder of the character described in which the hingedly connected members mutually support each other throughout a considerable portion of their extents to furnish greater rigidity and strength to the holder.

Other objects and advantages of the invention relate to various improved details of construction and novel arrangements of the parts as will be more fully set forth in the detailed description to follow.

Referring to the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a plan view of the key holder and a portion of the attaching member or chain, showing the parts of the key holder in their connected or key retaining positions,

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the key holder showing the parts in separated relation,

Fig. 3 is a sectional view of a portion of the key holder, taken substantially along the line 33 of Fig. 1,

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the channeled member, certain of the parts being broken away, and,

Fig. 5 is a plan View of a key holder of modified shape, showing the parts in closed position.

In'that form of the invention shown in Figs. 1 to 4 of the drawing, l designates generally the main body portion of a bent key holder member, which may be formed from any suitable material and be of any desired cross sectional shape, 55 although in the present instance it is shown as formed of solid metal and substantially square in transverse cross section. In the form shown herein the main member or body portion I of the structure may be said to comprise alower portion 2 shaped to present a substantially rectangular outline, one side 3 of which terminates at 4 While the opposite side 5 extends upwardly and has an outwardly bent open loop shaped part 6 for a purpose which will be more fully described. A channel shaped member 1 is hingedly connected to the side 3 by means of a pin 8, and is provided with an elongated opening 9 formed in the rear wall 10 of the'channel shape to receive the loop shaped portion 6 of the side 5 when the channel shaped member is turned into its closed position as shown in Fig. 1 of the drawing.

The side 5 may be provided with a depression l2 located adjacent to the loop shaped portion which is adapted to be engaged by a depressed detent I4 formed in the side wall of the channel shaped member adjacent to the free end thereof, to detachably retain the channel shaped member in closed position relative to the main body portion I when the channel shaped member is turned into the position shown in Fig. 1. v

The open loop form of the part 6 is suchas to provide with the outer surface of the channel shaped member 1 a latch receiving opening l5 for the reception of a swivel hook 16 when the channel shaped member is in its closed position. This construction provides for the locking of the hingedly connected parts of the key holder by means of the swivel hook I6 carried by the usual key holder chain I! to prevent separation of the parts or loss of the keys when the hingedly connected members are closed together and attached to the key holder chain. The hook member l6 when passed through the recess l5 engages between the loop shaped part 6 and the outer face of the channel shaped member I to positively retain the free ends of the body members against separation. The chain l I may be provided at its end opposite to the swivel hook IS with a spring ring l8 or other suitable means for attachment to a strap, button or part of the clothing as is usual in devices of this character.

The open loop shaped part 6 extends outwardly in what may be termed a radial direction from the area bounded by the member parts when they are in closed position, and that portion of the main body member I adjacent to the loop shaped part 6 is preferably shaped to fit substantially within the channel of the member I when the parts are closed. In this way the channel shaped member is adapted to receive a considerable portion of the body member 1 within its channel and a mutual support is thereby provided for the end portions of the members I and l in the closed position of the parts to form a firm and substantially rigid structure not readily broken or distorted under conditions of ordinary use.

In the form of the invention shown in Fig. 5 of the drawing the general contour of the main body member 20 as well as that of the channel shaped member 2| is circular. The main body member 20 is provided with an outwardly bent portion 22 adapted to project through an opening formed in the rear wall of the channel shaped member 2| for the reception of a latching hook when the parts are closed, as in the form previously described, and the channel shaped member 2| is hingedly connected to the main body member 20, as by a pin 23. The members 20 and 2] are provided with releasable detent holding means 24 so positioned as to be engageable with each other when the members 20 and 2| are turned into their closed positions.

What I claim is:

1. A key holder of the character described comprising members having curvilinear portions, one end of one of said members being pivotally connected to the other member adjacent to an end thereof whereby the members are movable to bring the free ends thereof into separated position or into connected overlapping relation with each other, the free end portions of said members being provided respectively with a bent offset portion and an opening so arranged that the offset portion of one member will enter the opening in the other member in the closed position of the members and provide a latch receiving recess therebetween, and a hook member passed through the recess to hold the member ends against separation.

2. A key ring comprising curved hingedly connected members one of which is channel shaped throughout a considerable portion of its extent to receive a portion of the other said member when the members are in closed position, the channel shaped portion of said member being provided with an opening in one wall thereof, the other of said members being provided with an open loop having a portion thereof extending through the'opening in the channel shaped memher in the closed position of the members to form with the channel shaped member a latch engaging means for receiving a hook for holding the member ends against separation.

3. A key holder comprising a member having the general form of a partial circlet and provided adjacent to one end with a radially projecting bent portion, and a member pivotally connected to the opposite end of said first named member and having a, channel shaped portion within which the first named end of said first member fits in the end engaging position of the members, said last named member being provided with an opening in one Wall of the channel shaped portion to receive the bent portion of said first named member when the members are turned into end engaging positions and provide a latch receiving recess between the bent portion of said first named member and the exterior surface of said last named member.

4. A key holder comprising a generally ring shaped member having a transverse opening of substantial extent to permit the removal of or positioning of keys thereon, a member hingedly connected to one end of said ring-shaped member having a channel shaped portion and movable into position to receive the opposite end of said first named member within the channel shaped portion thereof, and an open sided radially bent portion carried by said first named member and interfitting 'within an opening formed in the channel shaped portion of said second named member to provide means for locking the free ends of said members against separation.

5. A key holder comprising a main key receiving member shaped to bring the end portions thereof into proximity with each other and having a reentrant bend formed adjacent to one end thereof, a member hingedly connected to the end opposite to said reentrant bent portion end provided with a channel shaped portion for receiving a substantial part of said reentrant bent portion end and having an opening for receiving the reentrant bent portion, and a hook member engageable with said reentrant bent portion and said second named member when the reentrant bent portion is passed through the opening to latch the member ends against separation.

6. A key ring comprising pivotally connected members, the free end of one of said members being provided with a loop portion offset from the general contour of the ring, the free end of said second member being of channel shape in cross-section to receive therein a substantial portion of the free end of the other member, and having an opening in the wall of the channel portion to receive the loop portion of the other member when the free end portion of said first member is positioned within the channel portion of said second member.

CARL SCHRAYSSHUEN. 

